Sports Digest: U.S. Women receive hero's welcome

Pro soccer

U.S. WOMEN WELCOMED HOME:  One by one, tired and disappointed members of the U.S Women's World Cup team trudged off the bus and were greeted with cheers and waves from appreciative fans who didn't seem to mind a bit that they came up short of a championship.

About 24 hours after the Americans squandered a pair of late one-goal leads and were beaten in penalty kicks by Japan in the tournament's final game Sunday, they arrived from Germany to Newark, N.J., and heard the first rounds of applause Monday.

From there they took a police-escorted bus ride into Manhattan and encountered a few hundred fans who waited on the sidewalk in sweltering heat to welcome them back to friendly turf.

Pro baseball

NOLAN RYAN IMPROVING: Tests done Monday on Texas Rangers President Nolan Ryan showed no new heart problems for the Hall of Fame pitcher, who was hospitalized after experiencing discomfort over the weekend.

Ryan, 64, "continues to improve," the Rangers said in a statement. He is expected to be released from a Houston hospital in a day or two.

Ryan has a pre-existing heart condition that will continue being treated with medication, according to the team's statement. He had a double-bypass operation in 2000 and has a family history of heart disease.

He sought treatment after experiencing discomfort Sunday morning while at his home in Georgetown, located about 170 miles northwest of Houston.

NASA SEMINAR AT RAILCATS STADIUM: Northshore Amateur Sports Academy executive director and former major leaguer Wallace Johnson will hold his second annual "Seminar in Sports Careers and Education" at the U.S. Steel Yard from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday.

Johnson and a variety of guest speakers will lead the discussion with student interns from the Gary Community School Corporation in dealing with such topics as Core 40 requirements needed for high school graduation to being landscapers at professional sports stadiums.

The event will be held at the Gary Southshore Railcats conference room. Contact Johnson at 219-980-0070 for more information.

College football

BUSH FAMILY TAKES BACK HEISMAN: Reggie Bush's family has taken back a copy of his 2005 Heisman Trophy from a San Diego sports museum.

The San Diego Hall of Champions said it returned the trophy to the family on Friday and declined further comment.

The museum received the trophy from the family in March but never displayed it.

The Heisman Trust stopped recognizing Bush as the winner after an NCAA probe concluded that Bush and his family accepted improper benefits from would-be sports agents while Bush was still playing for USC. Bush later relinquished his title to it.

The news was first reported Monday by the San Diego Union-Tribune. The newspaper said a call to the Bush family to see whether they plan to keep the trophy or return it to the trust wasn't returned.

Men's Soccer

VU REPRESENTED ON NATIONAL TEAM: The Valparaiso men's soccer program was well represented on the Carolina Railhawks U23 team that won the USASA U23 National Cup Championship last weekend in Bowling Green, Ky.

Four present or former Crusaders saw action as the Railhawks captured the title, beating Lazio (Utah) 6-2 in the semifinals and Scott Gallagher (Missouri) 4-0 in the championship. Adrian Ortiz, a 2011 alum, scored a goal while redshirt junior Kyle Zobeck played in net for both matches.

Fifth-year senior Stefan Antonijevic and junior Jonathon Smith  also saw action in both contests. Fifth-year senior Brendan Roth was part of the squad, but did not travel with the team.

Prep Football

BOONE GROVE HOSTING TALENT SHOW: Boone Grove High School will host the inaugural Back 2 School Challenge Talent Show at 7 p.m. on Aug. 18.

The event is one of the activities leading up to the Aug. 21 Boone-Wheeler football game. Any high school or middle school student from either of the schools interested in participating must post a three- to five-minute video on the Back 2 School Challenge Facebook page by Aug. 1.

Tickets for the show are $7 for adults and $4 for students, and will be available in the Boone Grove athletics office after Aug. 5.

Around the horn

Wheeler High School/Union Twp. Middle School is looking for 7th and 8th grade volleyball coaches. Interested candidates should call Randy Stelter at (219) 759-2561, ext. 2237. ... Former Marian Catholic and DePaul basketball star Missy Mitidiero is the girls basketball coach at Plainfield East High School. ...